Before Universal Studios built its backlot tour, one of Southern California's biggest star attractions was a working movie ranch in Simi Valley. Corriganville, founded in the late 1930s by Western actor and stuntman Ray "Crash" Corrigan, sprawled across 1,500 acres of rocky terrain where the Santa Susana Mountains meet the Simi Hills, about 35 miles from downtown LA. From "The Three Musketeers" and "Fort Apache" to TV's "The Lone Ranger" and "Bonanza," thousands of productions used its Old West facades.
The ranch wasn't just for filmmakers. Starting in 1949, Corriganville opened to paying weekend crowds — a dollar got you staged gunfights, Wild West shows, rodeos and stagecoach rides. At its peak it rivaled Knott's Berry Farm's Ghost Town as a Western-themed day out. Comedian Bob Hope later bought the property, and in 1998 the city opened what remained as a public regional park.
Time has trimmed the place down. Fires in the 1970s destroyed many of the original structures, and the park now covers 246 acres. Even so, hikers can still find concrete ruins, the dried-up man-made lake where underwater scenes for the "Jungle Jim" films were shot, and an oak grove nicknamed Sherwood Forest, used for a 1950s "Robin Hood" series. The park even had a screen comeback, standing in for Spahn Ranch in Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood."
There are three main routes. The Interpretive Trail runs just over a mile through the oak grove, with signs covering local wildlife, plants and movie history — the easiest way in. The Loop Trail branches off and covers similar distance but with more effort, weaving through sandstone formations; the back half is exposed and climbs steadily, so bring water and sun protection. For wildlife, the steep, moderately challenging Wildlife Corridor Trail runs nearly a mile and passes through a tunnel under State Route 118, where you might spot mule deer, coyotes, bobcats or rabbits. Picnic tables make it easy to turn the walk into a lazy afternoon, and the park is open dawn to dusk with free entry.
For film buffs and hikers alike, Corriganville is a quieter alternative to the studio tours — a piece of Golden Age Hollywood you can walk through for the price of nothing, an hour's drive from the city. Pair it with nearby Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park if you want more trails, or fold it into a day trip through the Simi Valley.
